Kingaroy Observatory (formerly Maidenwell Observatory)

Kingaroy Observatory is a public stargazing attraction, located at the town's airport just a short drive from the town's Central Business District. Large, roadside tourist signs point the way.

They have three, Meade 14 inch telescopes to show you the Moon, Stars and Planets up close!

The observatory works on two observing parameters: Stars and Planets nights which allows you to view the Milky Way, Star clusters, Nebula and Galaxies. Moon and Planet nights are best for adults and school children who want view the Moon up close in the telescopes.

During your night visit, the astronomer points out various constellations and stars using a registered Green Laser pointer, and gives an ongoing commentary of what you are about to see in the telescopes.

During the day, you can sit in comfort in their 70 seat air-conditioned Star Theatre and see the sun projected onto a big screen. This is where you see the real surface of the Sun. It's absolutely awesome!

The observatory has no steps. Telescopes are accessible to wheelchairs.

Plenty of parking along Geoff Raph Drive.

The observatory is owned and operated by professional astronomer and photographer, James Barclay with over 60 years experience.

The Wooroolin Wetland is located at the township of Wooroolin, 16 kilometres north of Kingaroy along the Bunya Highway. Wooroolin Wetlands was declared a fauna sanctuary in 1973, now classified as a palustrine wetland, a non-tidal, inland, seasonally flooded, vegetated swamp.

The Nanango Fauna Reserve offers many different environments of seasonal waterholes, eucalypt woodland, acacia scrub, and dry vine scrub. It is a birdwatcher's delight with a variety of birds to be found including the Yellow-Faced Honeyeater, Australian Darter, Varied Sittella, Nankeen Night Heron, and Little Black and Little Pied Cormorant.

Benarkin State Forest on the Blackbutt Range is a great spot to picnic, fish, spot platypus or hike or ride on forest trails. From the D'Aguilar Highway an unsealed 16 kilometre scenic forest drive leads through rainforest, hoop pine plantations and eucalypt forests containing blackbutt, tallowwood, white mahogany, gums and ironbarks to small flats beside the inviting waters of Emu Creek.

The Bunya Mountains National Park is perched 1100 metres high and 200 kilometres north-west of Brisbane and considered Queensland's second-oldest national park being gazetted in 1908. It's there ancient rainforest-clad peaks stand tall and shelter the world's largest formation of bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii) - once a popular meeting place for Aboriginal folk to gather nuts in the 1800s.

This distinctive flat-topped ridge, shaped like an upturned boat, is a landmark near Murgon. Rising to a height of 589 metres, Boat Mountain is covered in dry rainforest with areas of open eucalypt forest.

Jimna State Forest has had a colourful history of gold mining and timber milling. The last flurry of mining, in the 1940s, yielded 2.8 kilograms of gold. Attractions include creeks, log bridges and wildlife including platypus and many species of birds.

The Dam is the sole source of water supply for Kingaroy; it was built in 1941 to provide water for the Royal Australian Air Force Training Base during WWII. In 1987 due to increased demand the dam wall was raised and the inundated area is now 229 hectares.

Coomba Falls, at Maidenwell, is an exceptionally beautiful place, featuring a deep natural swimming hole and striking granite cliffs. The water is icy most of the year, so it's the ideal site to cool down on a hot day.

Located on the Inner Gneerings off Mooloolaba, the Coral Gardens are like a small section of the Great Barrier Reef on the Sunshine Coast. Lovely hard and soft corals rule this reef in depths from 10 to 15 metres, with the site topography dominated by a series of gutters.

Peaceful Lake Boondooma is paradise for anglers, campers, bird watchers and water sports enthusiasts. The 1,900 hectare dam was purpose-built across the Boyne River in 1983 to provide a water supply to the Tarong Power Station.

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Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator’s website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).